2024 Women's AFCON: Group stage hits and misses
Monday saw the end of the group stage at the 2024 Women's AFCON, which began on 5 July 2025. After the various matches played
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With the group stage done, it is time for a mid-tournament review. Sport News Africa picks out the hits and misses from the first round of the Women's AFCON. One thing is certain: the favourites have lived up to their billing and are still in the hunt for the title on 26 July 2025.
Read also: 2024 Women's AFCON: South Africa impress, Ghana step it up
Hits
Morocco and Zambia in Group A
Strong favourites in Group A, Morocco and Zambia did not disappoint. The two sides finished first and second respectively to book their places in the quarter-finals.
The records are identical. With two wins and a draw after three matchdays and 7 points on the board, Morocco and Zambia dominated their group. The two teams could not be separated in the opening match, which ended in a 2-2 draw. The difference came down to goals scored. The Atlas Lionesses netted 7 and conceded 4, while the Copper Queens scored 6 and also conceded 4.
Read also: 2024 Women's AFCON: results and match schedule
Nigeria confirm their credentials, Algeria the surprise
Nigeria are here to lift the trophy. The Super Falcons are unbeaten in Group B with 7 points and top spot. They dropped points on matchday 3 against Algeria (0-0), fielding a rejigged side.
Algeria are the surprise of this first round. Before the competition began, the Greens were thrashed 3-0 by Senegal in a friendly. Doubts lingered, especially after 7 years away, and the Algerian side were not expected to compete at this level. But Ghoutia Karchouni and her team-mates caused a stir with a well-managed group stage. A narrow 1-0 win over Botswana and two goalless draws against Tunisia and Nigeria were enough to reach the Women's AFCON quarter-finals.
South Africa deliver
As reigning champions, South Africa will indeed play in the quarter-finals. That is the natural order of things, anyway; anything else would have been a huge upset. Banyana Banyana finished top of Group C with 7 points. They beat Ghana 2-0, drew 1-1 with Tunisia, then thrashed Mali 4-0. With the South Africans, the threat comes from everywhere: the 7 goals of the first round were scored by 7 different players.
Miss
Tunisia, the big disappointment
Tunisia were expected to go further than the quarter-finals they reached at the last Women's AFCON. This time, the Tunisian side failed to live up to their status. They finished bottom of Group B with a single point. They began the tournament with a heavy 3-0 defeat by Nigeria, drew 0-0 with Algeria, then lost again, 2-1 against Botswana. Yesmin Khanchouch, Tunisia's only scorer at the 2024 Women's AFCON, and her team-mates were not up to the occasion.
The quarter-final fixtures
The quarter-finals get under way this Friday with a mouth-watering Nigeria v Zambia clash between two title contenders, at 16:00 GMT. The game will take place at the Stade El Arbi Zaouli in Casablanca.
Friday 18 July 2025
16:00: Nigeria v Zambia (Stade El Arbi Zaouli)
19:00: Morocco v Mali (Stade Olympique de Rabat)
Saturday 19 July 2025
16:00: Algeria v Ghana (Stade de Berkane)
19:00: South Africa v Senegal (Stade d'honneur d'Oujda)